Closure device



M y 1931' M. T. ASHE 270801585 7 CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1935 INVENTOR.

MGIiSe hiu /7- /1,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to caps or covers for containers having a mouth with an undercut rim. It has for its main object to provide a cap or cover which will not only hermetically seal a container 5 and be positively safe from accidental removal, but which cannot be removed from or replaced on the container without detection. Another object is to so construct the cap or cover that after it has been initially removed from the container, it

l0 may still be used as a cover for the container to protect its contents.

A further object is to provide a closure device which can be adopted for use on a great variety of containers. A still further object is to provide a closure of simple construction which, when desired, can be used over and over again; which can be placed on and removed from the container with but slight expenditure of labor; and which will not in any way alter or change the shape of 29 the container nor interfere with the manner in which the container may be handled in transit.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawing of preferred embodiments of the invention in which, however, modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the drawing Fig. 1 is a fragmental side View of a steel container on which the closure device is shown prior to sealing, both the container and closure device being shown partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the closure device sealed on the container;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental top view of the hoop or sealing ring used with the device;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional side view of the sealing ring, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragment of the cover itself, show- 40 ing certain details of construction;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmental, cross-sectional views showing certain modifications of the closure device.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the container is shown at I0. This container is constructed with the customary rolled rim II. The cover I 2 is formed with a U-shaped channel I3 at its periphery. The channel contains a gasket l4 and fits snugly over the rim of the container. The outer edge of the channel terminates in a downwardly extending and outwardly flaring skirt 15. This skirt is preferably provided with a plurality of slits l B to make it more resilient.

After the cover has been placed over the container, a sealing ring I! is forced down over the skirt. This sealing ring is formed of a strip of metal on which the edges l8 and I9 are doubled over towards each other, as plainly shown in the views. The ends and 2! of the sealing ring are provided with aligned slots 22 and 23 and.

through these slots the tongues 24 and 25, of a light gauge metal seal 26, are inserted and bent down over each other on the inside of the ring. This construction is plainly shown in Fig. 4, in which view the tongues are shown inserted through the slots but not yet bent over.

Fig. 2 shows the sealing ring in place. The ring has been pressed down until it engages on the shoulder 21 formed by the neck of the container. It will be seen that the skirt has been pressed in so that the channel I3 is clamped tightly below the rim l I. It will also be noted that the edge of the skirt engages against the edge of the bend 19 on the sealing ring. It will plainly be seen that any attempt to pry oil the sealing ring will only result in clamping the skirt tighter under the rim H.

To remove the sealing ring and the cover, it is necessary to break the seal 26. As this seal is made of light metal, this may easily be accomplished by, for example; inserting a screw driver under the seal and break off the tongues by prying. As the seal may bear the dealers trademark, or other identification means, it is obvious that the contents of the container cannot readily be tampered with without detection.

After the seal has been broken and the sealing ring removed, the cover may readily be lifted 011'. Still, the cover, due to the manner in which the fingers may be inserted under the skirt, may be made to fit sufficiently tight to perfectly protect the contents of the container until emptied.

When the closure device is used on a container which has no shoulder, such as 21, againstwhich the sealing ring may abut, the upper edge of the sealing ring, instead of being folded down as previously explained, is curved, or otherwise shaped, to contact with the cover, as shown at 28 in Figs. '7 and 8. Fig. 7 shows a device applied to a metal container 29, and Fig. 8 shows it applied to a container 30 made of glass or other similar substance.

In Fig. 6 a modified sealing ring 3| is shown. In this instance, the edges of the ring are not bent as in the other embodiments, but a circumferential groove 32 is formed in the ring and in this groove, the edge of the skirt engages. The container, shown in Fig. 6, is an oil drum having the customary circumferential head 33. The sealing ring abuts against this bead.

Fig. 5 shows the manner in which the skirt of the cover may be constructed to increase or decrease its resiliency. The T-shaped slits 34 will naturally increase the ease with which the sealing ring may be pressed in place, while the rib 35 between the slits 36 will naturally stiffen the skirt. This rib is also shown in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the closure device may be used on any container having even a slightly undercut rim and that it, while serving as an ordinary cover, offers the additional advantage that the contents of the container cannot readily be tampered with without detection. Furthermore, it does not change the shape or appearance of the container.

Having described my invention and its objects, what I claim as new and wish to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure device for containers having an undercut rim; comprising a cover having a channel-shaped groove around its periphery and fitting over the rim of the container; a downwardly and outwardly flaring skirt extending from the outer edge of said groove; a plurality of T-shaped slits formed in said skirt to add to its flexibility; the vertical bar of the T beginning at the lower edge of the skirt; a compression band having the same diameter at its top and bottom edges; an inner circumferential groove formed in said band; the end of the skirt adapted to automatically engage in said groove when the band is pressed over the skirt; a resilient gasket placed in the channel-shaped groove; and said gasket compressed against the rim of the container by the pressure exerted by the band against the skirt.

2. A closure device for containers having an undercut rim; comprising a cover having a downwardly extending flange terminating in an outwardly flaring skirt; a fiangeless compression band having an inner, circumferential groove; the end of the skirt adapted to automatically engage in said groove when the band is pressed over the skirt; a resilient gasket placed between the rim of the container and the cover; said gasket compressed by the pressure exerted by the band against the skirt; the ends of the band overlapped and pierced by spaced slots; a sheet metal seal having prongs engageable in said slots; and said seal secured to the compression band with its prongs bent over on the inner side thereof.

MARSELIUS T. ASHE. 

